Kathmandu, August 7
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular issues, chronic respiratory complications, and cancers are on the rise in Nepal.
Dr Manita Pyakurel of the Nepal Non-Communicable Disease Alliance stated that cases of NCDs are increasing across the country. Among the major NCDs, cardiac conditions, chronic respiratory diseases, and cancers are reportedly the most prevalent, she shared.
Dr Pyakurel further noted that heart disease accounts for 30 percent of cases, chronic respiratory diseases for 10 percent, and cancer for 9 percent.
In 2010, nearly 51 percent of total deaths in Nepal were attributed to non-communicable diseases. The mortality rate increased to 60 percent in 2014, then to 66 percent in 2016. By 2019, around 71.1 percent of total deaths were caused by NCDs, according to the Global Burden of Disease report.
It has also been reported that the cost of treating non-communicable diseases is rapidly increasing in Nepal.
Globally, non-communicable diseases are responsible for the deaths of 4.3 million people each year.
